photo galleryDiggers killed in Afghanistan

SAS soldier Sergeant Andrew Russell and wife Kylie, He was killed when his vehicle hit an anti-tank mine while serving in Afghanistan, 02/2002.1 of 39

Aust soldier Trooper David Pearce who was killed during roadside bomb attack in Afghanistan in 2007.2 of 39

Sergeant Matthew Locke was killed while serving with Special Air Service Regiment in Oruzgan Province in southern Afghanistan in July 2007.3 of 39

Private Luke Worsley in Afghanistan during his first tour of duty. Worsley was killed while serving in Afghanistan in 2007.4 of 39

Soldier and SAS commando Lance Corporal Jason Marks was killed in April 2008.5 of 39

Sean McCarthy was killed by in IED in Afghanistan in 2008 while serving with the Australian Army in the Uruzgan Province.6 of 39

Lt Michael Fussell from Holsworthy's 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment was killed in a bomb blast in Afghanistan on Thursday November 28, 2008.7 of 39

Private Gregory Michael Sher was killed in a rocket attack in Oruzgan Province in Afghanistan in 2009. Sher was a member of the Sydney-based 1st Commando Regiment.8 of 39

SAS soldier Corporal Mathew Hopkins was killed while serving in Afghanistan in March 2009.9 of 39

SAS soldier Sergeant Brett Till was killed while on duty in Afghanistan in March 2009.10 of 39

Private Benjamin Ranaudo, a member of the Force Protection Combat Team, was killed and another soldier seriously wounded when a bomb exploded while they were on foot patrol during an operation in the Baluchi Valley in Afghanistan on 18/07/2009.11 of 39

Sapper Darren Smith with Explosive Detection Dog Herbie at Multinational Base - Tarin Kowt in Afghanistan. Smith is one of two Australian soldiers serving with the 1st Mentoring Task Force in Afghanistan killed in action on June 7 2010.12 of 39

Sapper Jacob Moerland, one of two Australian soldiers serving with the 1st Mentoring Task Force in Afghanistan, who were killed in an explosion while on patrol in Taliban hotspot near their Mirabad Valley base on 07/06/2010.13 of 39

Private Benjamin Chuck was killed alongside another two soldiers in June 2010.16 of 39

Trooper Jason Thomas Brown), a Special Forces soldier serving with the Special Operations Task Group in Afghanistan was killed in action during an engagement with insurgents on13/08/2010..17 of 39

Grant Kirby with daughters Isabella Madeleine who was killed on operation in Afgahanistan in 2010.18 of 39

Thomas Dale was killed by an Improvised Explosive Device after dismounting from a Bushmaster PMV in an overwatch position during an operation in the Baluchi Valley on 20 August 201019 of 39

Lance Corporal Jared Mackinney was killed on the 24 August 2010.20 of 39

Australian soldier Corporal Richard Atkinson from the Darwin-based First Combat Engineer regiment in ADF photo, was killed by IED in Tarin Kowt during foot patrol, with another soldier seriously wounded on 02/02/2011. This was his first deployment to Afghanistan.21 of 39

Sergeant Brett Wood, killed in action 23 May 2011. Sergeant Brett Wood was serving with the Special Operations Task Group (SOTG) when he was killed in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) strike in Southern Afghanistan.23 of 39

Twenty five year old Lance Corporal Andrew Gordon Jones was from the 9th Force Support Battalion in Amberley. Lance Corporal Jones was serving with the Force Support Unit. He was killed by a member of the Afghanistan mentoring force.24 of 39

Australian digger Lieutenant Marcus Sean Case was killed when a Chinook helicopter crashed near Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan.25 of 39

Sapper Rowan Robinson was serving with the Special Operations Task Group (SOTG) in Afghanistan, he was killed in action during a fire fight in Helmand province, when he sustained a gun shot wound on 06/06/2011.26 of 39

Sergeant Todd Langley on operations in Southern Afghanistan. Langley who was serving with the Special Operations Task Group (SOTG), has been killed in action during a fire fight on 04/07/2011.27 of 39

PTE Matthew Lambert was a private in the Townsville-based 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (2 RAR), serving with MTF 3. Lambert was killed by an improvised explosive device (IED) in the Khaz Oruzgan region on 22 August 201128 of 39

Bryce Duffy was a captain in the 4th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, serving with MTF 3 was shot and killed by a member of the Afghan National Army on 29 October 201129 of 39

Corporal Ashley Birt was killed on Operations in Afghanistan on 29 October 2011. Seven soldiers were also wounded when a member of the Afghan National Army opened fire with an automatic weapon.30 of 39

Lance Corporal Luke Gavinwas killed on Operations in Afghanistan on 29 October 2011. Seven soldiers were also wounded when a member of the Afghan National Army opened fire with an automatic weapon.31 of 39

Sergeant Blaine Diddams, was killed during an engagement with insurgents in the Chorah district of Uruzgan province on 2 July 2012.32 of 39

Private Nathanael John Aubrey Galagher was killed in a helicopter crash on 30 August 201233 of 39

Lance Corporal Mervyn John McDonald was killed in a helicopter crash on 30 August 201234 of 39

Lance Corporal Stjepan Milosevic, was killed on operations in Afghanistan on 29 August 2012.35 of 39

Private Robert "Robbie" Poate of the 6th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment was murdered by a rogue Afghan National Army soldier on the 29th August 2012 at a small patrol base in Uruzgan province in southern Afghanistan.36 of 39

Sapper James Thomas Martin from the 2nd Combat Engineer Regiment (2 CER) serving with the 3 RAR Task Group was shot and killed by a member of the Afghan National Army on 30 August 2012.37 of 39

Corporal Scott James Smith serving with the Special Operations Task Group, was killed in an IED explosion on 21 October 2012.38 of 39

Diggers killed in Afghanistan39 of 39

SAS soldier Sergeant Andrew Russell and wife Kylie, He was killed when his vehicle hit an anti-tank mine while serving in Afghanistan, 02/2002.

Aust soldier Trooper David Pearce who was killed during roadside bomb attack in Afghanistan in 2007.

Sergeant Matthew Locke was killed while serving with Special Air Service Regiment in Oruzgan Province in southern Afghanistan in July 2007.

Private Luke Worsley in Afghanistan during his first tour of duty. Worsley was killed while serving in Afghanistan in 2007.

Soldier and SAS commando Lance Corporal Jason Marks was killed in April 2008.

Sean McCarthy was killed by in IED in Afghanistan in 2008 while serving with the Australian Army in the Uruzgan Province.

Lt Michael Fussell from Holsworthy's 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment was killed in a bomb blast in Afghanistan on Thursday November 28, 2008.

Private Gregory Michael Sher was killed in a rocket attack in Oruzgan Province in Afghanistan in 2009. Sher was a member of the Sydney-based 1st Commando Regiment.

SAS soldier Corporal Mathew Hopkins was killed while serving in Afghanistan in March 2009.

SAS soldier Sergeant Brett Till was killed while on duty in Afghanistan in March 2009.

Private Benjamin Ranaudo, a member of the Force Protection Combat Team, was killed and another soldier seriously wounded when a bomb exploded while they were on foot patrol during an operation in the Baluchi Valley in Afghanistan on 18/07/2009.

Sapper Darren Smith with Explosive Detection Dog Herbie at Multinational Base - Tarin Kowt in Afghanistan. Smith is one of two Australian soldiers serving with the 1st Mentoring Task Force in Afghanistan killed in action on June 7 2010.

Sapper Jacob Moerland, one of two Australian soldiers serving with the 1st Mentoring Task Force in Afghanistan, who were killed in an explosion while on patrol in Taliban hotspot near their Mirabad Valley base on 07/06/2010.

Private Benjamin Chuck was killed alongside another two soldiers in June 2010.

Trooper Jason Thomas Brown), a Special Forces soldier serving with the Special Operations Task Group in Afghanistan was killed in action during an engagement with insurgents on13/08/2010..

Grant Kirby with daughters Isabella Madeleine who was killed on operation in Afgahanistan in 2010.

Thomas Dale was killed by an Improvised Explosive Device after dismounting from a Bushmaster PMV in an overwatch position during an operation in the Baluchi Valley on 20 August 2010

Lance Corporal Jared Mackinney was killed on the 24 August 2010.

Australian soldier Corporal Richard Atkinson from the Darwin-based First Combat Engineer regiment in ADF photo, was killed by IED in Tarin Kowt during foot patrol, with another soldier seriously wounded on 02/02/2011. This was his first deployment to Afghanistan.

Sergeant Brett Wood, killed in action 23 May 2011. Sergeant Brett Wood was serving with the Special Operations Task Group (SOTG) when he was killed in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) strike in Southern Afghanistan.

Twenty five year old Lance Corporal Andrew Gordon Jones was from the 9th Force Support Battalion in Amberley. Lance Corporal Jones was serving with the Force Support Unit. He was killed by a member of the Afghanistan mentoring force.

Sapper Rowan Robinson was serving with the Special Operations Task Group (SOTG) in Afghanistan, he was killed in action during a fire fight in Helmand province, when he sustained a gun shot wound on 06/06/2011.

Sergeant Todd Langley on operations in Southern Afghanistan. Langley who was serving with the Special Operations Task Group (SOTG), has been killed in action during a fire fight on 04/07/2011.

PTE Matthew Lambert was a private in the Townsville-based 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (2 RAR), serving with MTF 3. Lambert was killed by an improvised explosive device (IED) in the Khaz Oruzgan region on 22 August 2011

Bryce Duffy was a captain in the 4th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, serving with MTF 3 was shot and killed by a member of the Afghan National Army on 29 October 2011

Corporal Ashley Birt was killed on Operations in Afghanistan on 29 October 2011. Seven soldiers were also wounded when a member of the Afghan National Army opened fire with an automatic weapon.

Lance Corporal Luke Gavinwas killed on Operations in Afghanistan on 29 October 2011. Seven soldiers were also wounded when a member of the Afghan National Army opened fire with an automatic weapon.

Sergeant Blaine Diddams, was killed during an engagement with insurgents in the Chorah district of Uruzgan province on 2 July 2012.

Private Nathanael John Aubrey Galagher was killed in a helicopter crash on 30 August 2012

Lance Corporal Mervyn John McDonald was killed in a helicopter crash on 30 August 2012

Lance Corporal Stjepan Milosevic, was killed on operations in Afghanistan on 29 August 2012.

Private Robert "Robbie" Poate of the 6th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment was murdered by a rogue Afghan National Army soldier on the 29th August 2012 at a small patrol base in Uruzgan province in southern Afghanistan.

Sapper James Thomas Martin from the 2nd Combat Engineer Regiment (2 CER) serving with the 3 RAR Task Group was shot and killed by a member of the Afghan National Army on 30 August 2012.

Corporal Scott James Smith serving with the Special Operations Task Group, was killed in an IED explosion on 21 October 2012.

Diggers killed in Afghanistan

1 of 39

Mr Abbott said Corporal Baird was the 40th Australian soldier killed in Afghanistan.

“And, please God, the last,” he said.

“He was on his fifth special forces tour when he was killed in the action for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross.”

News_Image_File: The late Corporal’s family ... his father Doug Baird, mother Kaye and brother Brendan with General David Hurley, AC, DSC Chief of the Defence Force Lieutenant-General David Morrison, AO Chief of Army. Picture: Gary Ramage

Addressing Corporal Baird’s family members in the public gallery, he said: “You have lost a son, a brother, an uncle and our country has lost a citizen, a soldier, a hero.”

Mr Abbott recalled the day Corporal Baird died, telling how he and his team came under heavy fire on three separate occasions “from well prepared enemy positions”.

“Corporal Baird charged enemy positions and neutralised them with grenade and rifle fire,” he said.

News_Module: NND VC1

“By drawing fire on himself repeatedly he enabled other members of his team to regain the initiative.”

Mr Abbott then explained how the Commando then led an assault on an enemy-led compound, forcing the door of the building before being killed.

News_Image_File: Australian Army comrades ... from the 2nd Commando Regiment carry Corporal Cameron Baird's coffin out of Reedy Creek Baptist Church on the Gold Coast at the conclusion of his funeral service. Picture: ADF

“Words can hardly do justice to the chaos, confusion and courage which were evident that day,” he said.

“He repeatedly drew enemy fire away from his team members and charged enemy positions under heavy fire,” Mr Abbott said.

“His actions enabled the enemy to be neutralised and his team to be kept safe.

“This award is in recognition of his most conspicuous acts of valour, extreme devotion to duty and ultimate self-sacrifice.

“The Victoria Cross is inscribed with the words “For Valour”.

“Corporal Baird’s actions were in keeping with the finest traditions of the Australian Army and the Australian Defence Force.

“He is an Australian hero.”

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said it was difficult to convey words that would properly describe Corporal Baird’s acts of heroism.

News_Image_File: Honouring a hero ... Australian Army comrades from the 2nd Commando Regiment fire a volley in honour of Corporal Cameron Baird, MG, during the funeral service at Reedy Creek Baptist Church on the Gold Coast. Picture: ADF

“I hope his family here feel that our Parliament, all of us here, do some justice to his memory today,” Mr Shorten said.

He said the VC is part of a proud military and Australian tradition, which recognises the courage to sacrifice your own safety for your friends.

Corporal Baird was a member of the Special Operations Task Group and was from the 2nd Commando Regiment based at Holsworthy Barracks in Sydney, New South Wales.

He is survived by his parents, brother and his partner.

Corporal Baird was born in Burnie, Tasmania in 1981. He joined the Army in January 2000 and upon completion of his initial training was posted to the then 4th Battalion (Commando), The Royal Australian Regiment, now the 2nd Commando Regiment, in February 2000.

Corporal Baird was an outstanding Special Forces soldier.

News_Image_File: The Khod Valley ... where the late Corporal Cameron Baird was working with the 2nd Commando Regiment.

The Defence Department website states: “He exemplified what it meant to be a Commando, living by the attributes of uncompromising spirit and honour, which in turn earned him the unconditional respect of his fellow Commandos. His leadership in action was exemplary, constantly inspiring those around him to achieve greater things.

“Corporal Baird was an extremely dedicated and disciplined soldier, always striving for excellence in everything he did.

“Corporal Baird died how he lived — at the front, giving it his all, without any indecision. He will forever be remembered by his mates and the soldiers he served with in the 2nd Commando Regiment.”

News.com.au's Privacy Policy includes important information about our collection, use and disclosure of your personal information (including to provide you with targeted content and advertising based on your online activities). It explains that if you do not provide us with information we have requested from you, we may not be able to provide you with the goods and services you require. It also explains how you can access or seek correction of your personal information, how you can complain about a breach of the Australian Privacy Principles and how we will deal with a complaint of that nature.